


Desert Heat

by FrankiValerie



Series: After Omega [8]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Flashback, Pre-Game(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-29
Updated: 2016-07-29
Packaged: 2018-07-27 12:02:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7617316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrankiValerie/pseuds/FrankiValerie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yeah this is just a re-edit of that story I took down to put into this chapter but it FITS where i need it to.  I had written a small Caleb bit to go after it but this is already twice as long as some of the other chapters so i'll add that part to the next Chapter.  </p><p>Caleb is a character made by @Tortgua_Rebel on twitter.  Think this story was one of his faves - and mine.  It was inspired by this image (Caleb's 'face claim') : http://www.listal.com/viewimage/2313124</p><p>Enjoy!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Desert Heat

**\- June, 2180 -**

 

**From: Jacqueline Nought**

**To: Caleb Ortez**

**Subject: Out.**

Warden says you’re to thank for my release. You that desperate for a good fuck?

-J

 

**From: Caleb Ortez**

**To: Jacqueline Nought**

**Subject: Re: Out**

You’re fucking welcome.

 Need you for a job. Shuttle’s bringing you to me; I got us a place set up.

And a surprise for you.

-C

 

**From: Jacqueline Nought**

**To: Caleb Ortez**

**Subject: Re: Re: Out**

Is it your dick?

-J

 

**From: Caleb Ortez**

**To: Jacqueline Nought**

**Subject: Re: Re: Re: Out**

 Haha, no, but if you want it, J, it’s there for ya.

How long til you get here?

-C

 

**From: Jacqueline Nought**

**To: Caleb Ortez**

**Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Out**  

3 hours

Thanks for this, Caleb.

-J

 

The shuttle touched down and it was no surprise that Caleb was waiting for her. He wore a tattered khaki jacket, no shirt and torn jeans. He’d grown out his hair a little too and there was a shadow of facial hair on his chin. Fuck, she’d actually forgotten how good he looked. He spotted her and took a last puff of his cigarette, throwing it to the ground and smiling as he watched her step off the landing pad. She was terrified of the butterflies that fluttered in her stomach when he smiled. She pushed through the crowds and found it hard not to sprint toward him and fling herself into his arms. She distracted herself with the texture of her backpack’s strap over her shoulder and wrapped both hands around it, stroking the tough weave.

He took a step forward off the back wall he leant against and reached for her bag, “Let me.” he offered. She held tight onto it, it was her distraction, “I’m okay, thanks. And thanks for the bail. Best not to ask where you got the creds, huh? 

He nodded, smirking, “Yeah, you’d be surprised how much the Hanar charge for bail on vandalism charges. You gonna tell me the story behind that one?” 

She smiled, almost warmly, “Maybe later. Over a drink. Or five.” 

He nodded again, turning and brushing his hair out his eyes, beginning to lead her away. He pointed off to a spec of a settlement in the distance, “We’re staying just over there,” he jerked his head away from the landing pad, “Real old tavern place, modelled after old western vids. Think you’ll like it. Got a lot o’ character.” 

Jack snorted a laugh and shook her head, “Is that my surprise?” 

Caleb shook his head, gently placing his arm around her shoulders and pointing in front, “That is. Once in a lifetime change of transportation.” 

“Fuck, C, is this a joke?” 

"What? Oh come on! Jack, it’s a fucking convertible! That’s fucking awesome!” He said, turning to face her and waving his arm at the practically ancient car before them. Jack looked to him and raised an eyebrow. He climbed into the car, not bothering to use the door, opened up the glove compartment and pulled out a pair of sunglasses. He put them on, took off his jacket, laid the seat back, one arm across the top of the door, other hand on the wheel, looked to her and grinned.

She only just managed to stop herself mirroring his grin. 

“Don’t kid yourself, J, I look really fucking good right now. Right?” 

She pursed her lips, better to hide her smirk, brow still raised. He always looked good. He had a new tattoo, she noticed while checking out his now totally bare torso and arms. His longer hair added to this look… she lost herself in a daydream of her climbing onto his lap and running her fingers through his thick, dark locks, pulling him into a fierce and passionate kiss - then realised perhaps too late that she was staring at him, smirking and biting her lip with her head tilted to the side. 

He was grinning wide and waiting patiently; he knew her daydreaming face pretty well by now. 

“… Fuck it,” She finally said, then climbed over the back door, across the seat and into the passenger side, like him, not bothering to use the doors – hell the thing looked old enough, the doors might have fallen off if they’d been pulled open.  Still grinning, he passed her another pair of sunglasses which she put on and slouched in her seat, hand behind her head stroking the back of her prison-made pixie cut. He watched her, waiting for some kind of approval or disapproval. She smirked and blew him a kiss, making his chest swell as he reached for the key in the ignition and turned the engine over only a few times before it roared into life. Jack kicked off her loose combat boots and turned to him, lifting her feet up onto the seat as they set off. 

She was surprised Caleb knew how to drive this thing – though no doubt the drive controls were somewhat similar to that of more modern vehicles. She watched him more than the sparse scenery around; his thigh muscles moving in his jeans when he changed gears, remaining tensed when he pushed down on the gas. Her eyes wandered up to his arms; toned muscles swelling as he gripped the wheel. 

Eventually he caught her staring again, though he was only able to glance, so conscious of his inexperience with an actual car. She tore her eyes away and instead directed her attention to the environment around them. It was rare to find somewhere habitable that was this sparsely populated.  There was the small colony ahead of them and the shuttle transport behind them but otherwise all she could see around was sand, desert and a mountain so far in the distance it looked nothing more than a low cloud. 

“What kind of job brought you all the way out here?” she wondered aloud.

“Weapons,” He said simply, “fucking nice ones. Dealer likes using this place for his trades, since it’s so desolate.” 

Jack frowned, “Why do you need me for a weapons deal? Just a body guard in case something goes wrong?” she didn’t bother hiding the irritation in her tone.  He knew she hated being used for her biotics, and he promised her that he’d never do that.  Caleb grinned again, “Ain’t me he’s dealing with, J. He’s meeting a slaver.  Trading guns for girls.  Hoping to kill ‘em both, steal the guns and free the girls. We’ll drop ‘em close to council space or see if we can take them home.  Your skills are a bonus, but I thought you’d like to be on this one.  Ain’t no one I trust more.” 

She relaxed as he spoke and even smiled. That sounded more like a Caleb job. “Sounds great. How long we got?” 

He slowed down, pulling up outside an ancient-looking building that looked like it fit more with the car, or maybe even horse-drawn carriages, and turned off the engine, “They’re meeting tomorrow night. So we got a good lot of hours to get shit faced. Figured you’d want a drink.” 

She groaned in her throat at the thought and shoved her feet back into her boots to climb out the car as he did. 

He wasn’t lying about the place having character, or it’s likeness to what she’d seen in old western vids; no sign of the 22nd century anywhere around save for the odd pistol clipped to one or two of the patron’s waistbands. There was even a team of whores draped around and over the upstairs banister. 

“You brought me to a whore house?” she commented after Caleb had asked the barman for the key to their room. “… Beer’s real good!” He joked. The barman brought over their key and two bottles of beer, “I asked for twin beds. Just ‘case you’d feel uncomfortable.” He pocketed the key and took a long sip of his beer. 

Having been locked away almost 5 months, Jack took no time in pouring the entire contents of her bottle down her throat. 

Caleb grinned and waved the barman over to serve her another, “Thirsty, Jack?” 

She nodded, panting slightly and staring at barman until he brought her another bottle, “Been thirsty for a lot of things.” She commented, looking to him with a smirk before taking a sip of her next bottle, this time savouring it. He grinned, knowing well what that meant. She stroked across his shoulders, leaned to kiss his cheek then whispered in his ear, “So take me to our room. Two beds means we got a spare if we break one.” 

After hours of Caleb expertly sating her thirsts, Jack panted, “Fuck…” She lay on his chest, unable to move through exhaustion, still joined to him, his arms wrapped around her shoulders. He wasn’t ready to be parted yet either. 

“Yeah… fuck… “ he repeated, grinning wide, tightening his grip around her. 

There was a short silence before Jack tensed, trying to motivate herself to move, then relaxed again; Caleb was far too warm and comfortable. “So, this deal tomorrow… Where is it? That kind of shit’s gotta be easy to spot in a small colony.”

“Out in the desert. There’s this one spot way out we can hunker down and wait for em. That way we can be sure there’s no snipers. Though I don’t think either of these guys’re that smart.” 

She tensed again, trying to lift her head, “the fucking desert?” She whined, still too comfortable to move, “You’re shitting me.”

“Hey, it’ll be great. Far enough out that we don’t have to worry about making a scene. You like being big and flashy, right?” 

After getting no answer he looked down at her, “Jack?” He smiled warmly; her breathing had softened, her eyes were closed and her arms now lay limp within his embrace. He shifted carefully beneath her and carefully rolled her to the side, keeping her held close. He’d have loved to stay this close all night but slowly withdrew from the embrace and pulled the blankets over her. He admired her another moment longer before succumbing to sleep.

\-----

It wasn't often Jack got a restful sleep. She could recall a handful of occasions, and most were while she'd slept near, or in the arms of, Caleb. That thought scared her more than the nightmares; the fact that she could be so completely relaxed around one person. If he decided to turn on her one day he could so easily kill her in her sleep. It would be the only way he'd be able to do it, she thought. And he knew that. 

They'd all known that she could kill them without thinking if she wanted to; if they gave her a reason. It still didn't stop them screwing her over. Last time it had been Minara and her boyfriend, Geoff. 6 months they'd run jobs together, fucked together, drank together, laughed together – and still Jack didn't think twice about killing them as soon as they helped themselves to her shares of the take. 

Caleb, she was terrified to admit, had been different than them. For starters, his jobs were way more fun. Bigger targets, better weapons, he only went for what he thought was worth the time and energy he put into them. Caleb always shared fairly and he wasn't ever ungrateful. He was also the first person to have ever bailed her out of prison.  For what she’d done, it couldn't have been cheap either. 

She stayed perfectly still, laying beside him and watching him sleep peacefully. He'd talked about nightmares before but she'd never seen or felt him stir whenever she slept beside him, just like she never stirred beside him.  What if he really cared for her, as much as she had come to care about him? No, she couldn't think like that. She'd told herself she wouldn't let herself be hurt like that ever again. 

 _'He busted you out for a job, Jack.'_ She scolded herself, _'He'll get what he wants, pay you off, then you'll have to find a way to get by on your own.’_  

She slowly and carefully shuffled backwards out of his arms and off the bed, trying not to wake him. He stirred slightly and rolled onto his back; she failed to stifle the needing groan in her throat at the sight of his toned, muscular torso, lain in such an offering way. He was always so warm and comfortable... Instead she turned away from him, pulled her clothes back on and left the room to look for some breakfast. 

Later, Caleb stirred and stroked his hand across the sheet, hoping to touch onto a sleeping Jack, but finding the bed empty. He opened his eyes and lifted his head, looking around to find the room empty. 

He sat up and frowned, looking down at the painfully hard erection more dreams of Jack had left him with.

“Fuck...” He swore under his breath then got up to take a cold shower before getting dressed. 

“Hey.” He found her in an interesting position, sitting in the back of the car, back against the front seats and legs over the hood with a take-out bag resting on her stomach and a coffee in her hand. 

He rested his elbows on the car and leant over, “You okay?” 

She was looking out back to the colony’s surrounding wasteland, “Yep.” She said, sounding almost cheerful, and handed him the bag, “Bacon and egg. I got you coffee too, and some whiskey to throw in it.” 

He beamed and climbed in beside her, not bothering to take on her strange position, he just sat close to her, “Thanks, J, you’re the best.” He wasted no more time in scooping out the breakfast sandwich and shoving it into his mouth, watching her as she scanned the landscape. She seemed relaxed at first glance but the more he watched, the more he could see something was bothering her. Then it became more obvious. She wasn’t really looking around; her eyes were unfocused. She was tensed and hadn’t moved a muscle since passing him the bag, “Sure you’re okay, Jack?” 

She sipped her coffee, her eyes focusing again and waited a long moment before answering, "Last time we saw each other; you remember I went back to where I was staying with those two friends." 

He paused, waiting for her to continue and when she didn't speak again he chipped in a, "I remember. Maria or something, right? And her man?" 

She nodded and continued, "Minara.  And Geoff.  Did a couple jobs with them. Thought they could help me. Found out they'd been screwing me over. Trying to help themselves to my shares of the profits. I killed them." Now she looked to him, "Don't think that just because you're a good fuck I wouldn't kill you too if you gave me a reason." 

He looked to her, taking in the information and genuinely surprised at the threat, "Whoa, Jack, you know I... Jack, I'd never dream of hurting you in any way. I--" 

"’Long as we're clear." She interrupted. She was stubborn and he could see that whatever she had now told herself about his intentions he couldn't make her doubt with his words - at least not yet. If he tried to talk her down now, he’d likely only make her more upset and he’d be walking away with less teeth. 

He poured a little of the whiskey into his coffee and offered the bottle to her, “We’re clear.” 

She glanced at the bottle, her coffee still at her lips and mumbled, “Already got some. Thanks.” 

They remained silent while they finished their drinks then Caleb clapped his palms together, threw the empty coffee cup out the car and climbed into the front seat, “Coming up front or staying there?” He asked, turning on the ignition. 

She glared over her shoulder then sighed, rolled her eyes and climbed into the front passenger seat, “We going already?” “Yep. No way those two shit stains are expecting a third party, but I wanna make sure there are no nasty surprises. So we’re driving out there and waiting til tonight.” He pulled away while explaining, turning around and heading out onto the no-roads wasteland surrounding. 

Jack pouted, already feeling too hot. She couldn’t imagine what it’d be like out there with no shade and with the sun higher in the sky, “... We got water though, right?” 

“I’m not an idiot.” he said simply. 

Caleb found a spot that was higher than where the deal was going down, and parked the car just out of view.  He handed Jack a set of binoculars, took off his jacket, lay it on the ground then got down onto his belly to watch the horizon.  Jack enjoyed the sun for the first few hours but that soon changed.  

“This is boring.” She said when it was well into the afternoon.  

“You’re not doing anything.” 

“Yeah. And I’m bored.” 

“So get off your ass and do something.”

“You want me to fight in this heat? Let me conserve my energy.” 

“You’re conserving fuck all laying there in the sun, J. Laying down here and looking out ain’t hard work and it’s a fuck tonne more helpful.” 

Jack made a noise of exasperation and sat up from her laying across the back seats of the car and put her sunglasses on. 

“… It’s so fucking hot!” 

She looked over the side of the car at him laying – in the fucking shade – on his side looking up at her, binoculars in hand. He grinned, “Hotter down her next to me, J.” and winked.  She frowned and rolled her eyes - even though she’d have been up for a roll around in the sand.  From the look on his face, he knew it as well. 

She kept her eyes on him as she climbed out the car and settled on the sand beside him. How could he read her so well? No one else could. Perhaps no one else had bothered to. No one else had cared as much as h—No! She was angry at him. She wouldn’t let herself trust him. Though she couldn’t think of a logical reason why she shouldn’t. She was terrified to trust him. What if he hurt her? Sure he _said_ he never would but she wasn’t allowing herself to trust him, or to believe him. He was just like the others. 

At least she made more money from his jobs. It would get her further away. 

“Look. Weapon’s guy.” Caleb hissed, furrowing his brow as he peered through the binoculars. Jack picked up a her pair and watched a short, greying man with a cigar get out a transport rover and looked around.

“He’s early.” She commented, looking all around the rover. 

Caleb muttered something under his breath then swore, “Look, there’s the other guy. They must have changed their time. Fuck. I’d hoped we’d have have more shade. You--” He turned to her but found the space beside him empty. His eyes widened and he looked around, “Jack?” He hissed, putting down the scope. 

She was in the trunk of the car and pulled out 2 shotguns and a sniper rifle then looked at him, “So you gonna join me, or cover me?” 

Caleb grinned wide at the look of excitement and determination in her eyes. Just like her to not be discouraged or scared away from a good fight. And he couldn’t wait to fight by her side again. 

“I’m with you all the way, Jack.” 

 


End file.
